When Dreams Are Lost
by HuntingStarlight
Summary: Haruka Nanase loves to swim. But when an event occurs that could change all of that, what will happen to the group of friends?
1. Chapter 1

Haru wanted to swim. Every pore of his body yearned for the silken waves of the water, and the rhythm and freedom that existed within it. Black strands of silken hair covered deep blue eyes as the sea-born breeze whispered its song, tantalizing and sweet.

"Haru! Hey Haru! HARRRRUUUUUUUUUUUU! Where are you going? Haru!" Nagisa Hazuki ran up to the black- haired swimmer, the cold winter wind whipping his curly blond locks into snarls that covered his dark pink eyes. His sneakers squeaked and slid over patches of snow and ice as he trotted over to Haru. Said boy ignored the small blond, and paced forward, moving towards the exit of the school yard. Nagisa stood there, confused, as Mako made his way over. Pink eyes stared up at green, as the smaller boy pulled on the larger's coat sleeve.

"Mako-chan! Why is Haru-chan ignoring me? Is he mad?" Mako stared after the prodigy, green eyes calculating and curious. A loud wail erupted from behind him.  
"NO! Not YOU TOO!" Nagisa clutched to the other blond haired boy, yelling. Mako laughed, though it was forced. Something was wrong. He could feel it, right down to the bottom of his heart.


	2. Chapter 2

Rin Matsuoka ran down the cobblestone path, the cut stones uneven and smooth underneath his running shoes. The northern wind ruffled his hair, blowing red bursts behind him with the dead leaves left over from fall. From somewhere down the cut-stone path, Gou yelled something unintelligible, her identical red hair pulled into a neat ponytail, and her red-pink eyes flashing dangerously. But, of course, Rin was never one for being scared by his little sister. He just kept on running, churning up clouds of dust, which swirled in patterns around his sneakers. The gate of Iwotabi High School loomed in front of him, and to his surprise, (not exactly) Haru Nanase came out, with a puppy-eyed Nagisa, who was shrieking at the top of his lungs,

"WHATTTTTTTT? HAAAAARRRRUUU-CHHHHHAAAAAAANNNN! What do you mean you won't be swimming this year? How will we make it past the prelims? Or compete in a relay? HHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRUUUUUUUU-CCCCCCCHHHHHHHAAAAAANNNNN!" Rin's heart stopped.

_ 'Haru's…not…swimming…this year?'_ Heart pounding, and blood roaring in his ears, and he felt his breathing quicken, and Rin slumped against the tree. Was this what Haru had felt like when he, Rin had sneered,

_"I'll never swim with you again."?_ Sprinting out from behind the tree, he slammed into Haru, pinning the ebony locked boy against the tree.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE NOT SWIMMING THIS YEAR? NANASE!" Voice cracking, Rin pushed Haru down. Pools of blue ice cold, Haru stared at Rin, bored.

"Are you done? I'd like it if you would put me down." The former pushed out from under the latter, and stood up, and stalked down the path. Rin's jaw squared, and he stalked down the path, set on finding out what exactly was keeping his friend from doing what he loved the most. Because, after all, Haru wouldn't be Haru without the water.

Haru Nanase jogged down the path, on his way down to the beach. The winter had become welcome to the swimmer after his secret had first surfaced. Jerking his head around, night stained locks covered cautious pools of deep blue. A messenger backpack went flying with a thump onto the grainy, rocky sand. He shed his black blazer, crisp white button down, and black trousers, leaving him in a black and purple pair of swimming trunks. Pulling one leg back, the swimming prodigy leapt into the frigid beach waters. The familiar feeling slithered down his legs once more, as Haru swam, cutting through the icy waters. But he couldn't feel the cold of the water. To him, the water was warm, the sun was bright. He dove deeper into the depths of the Sea of Japan, dipping and spinning throughout the clumps of seaweed, and schools of fish. His deep colored tail flicked through the strong sea-born currents. Waves rippled from the fins of his tail as he glided in the waters akin to his eyes. The City of Mers was farther in the ocean, and Haru knew that he didn't have enough time to go there and stay for a little to visit his parents, and swim back to shore in time to do his homework and sleep. So her flicked his tail once more, and flew through the water and up to the sea surface. Water flickered like stars in his night colored hair, as he swirled his tail around in the water and stared at the constellations in the obsidian sky. His tail, a dark navy, blended with the water, and he sighed contently into the night.

* * *

Hiding behind a palm tree was the Iwotabi Swim Club, and Rin as Nagisa chattered quietly.

"Wow! Haru-chan's a mermaid-no a merman. That's what they're called. Mermaids are women. Haru-chan's a man, or is it a boy? Rei-chan? Rei-chan? Rei? Hello? Rei-chan? Mako? Rin?" Rei shushed the little blond, his red glasses flashing in the light of the full moon. But Haru dove under again, and they saw his tail fully, dark blue scales flashing with droplets of water sparkling in the starlight, like dew on a blade of grass. He drew to shore, and the group of rowdy swimmers dashed down the path, sneakers kicking up sand and dust in the crisp, cold winter air.

* * *

**Expect another chapter soon. Sorry that these aren;t that long, my muse is telling me to keep them short and sweet. (Yeah, yeah I heard you the first 5,000 times Historia) Sorry, Historia's my muse. Cookie points to anybody who can guess which anime/manga that character's from. **

**Remember, reviews fuel the review machine, which fuels Historia and I!**

** Keep shining!**

** Tora AKA HuntingStarlight**


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